Sand game and apparatus therefor



June 3, 1969 A. B. COMPTON 3,447,256

SAND GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed July 20, 1967 7 Sheet INVENT ORA54 3. COMPTON ATTORNEYS June 3, 1969 A. B. COMPTON SAND GAME ANDAPPARATUS THEREFOR Sheet 2 orz Filed July 20, 1967 INVENTOR I ASA 5-COMPTOA/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,447,256 SAND GAME ANDAPPARATUS THEREFOR Asa B. Compton, Spencerville, Md., assignor, by mesneassignments, to KMS Industrial, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., a corporation ofDelaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 599,588,

Dec. 6, 1966. This application July 20, 1967, Ser.

Int. Cl. A6311 33/00; A63f 9/00 US. Cl. 46-1 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of applicationSer. No. 599,588, filed Dec. 6, 1966, entitled, Sand Sculpturing Game,now abandoned.

Background The building of sand into structures has long been a favoritepastime at the seashore for children and also for adults. Devices forliquid suspensions of undissolved particles onto special supportmaterials to produce ornamental effects and structures are known, eg inpastry decorating. Applications of sand slurries t-o absorbent basessuch as special and relatively expensive support blocks, of small scaleand limited application have been known. In decoration of cakes andpastries there is no rapid removal of the liquid to facilitate designapplication. Construction of analogous designs much more rapidly and ona considerably larger scale with very inexpensive materials is a featureof the present invention.

The present invention is designed to afford amusement and develop skillsby facilitating production, especially by young and inexperiencedoperators, of either artistic or artless structures or designs, toproduce structures as small and simple or as large, complex and artisticas may be desired, with a minimum of apparatus and at very low cost. Bymixing up a paste or slurry of selected sand or equivalent particulatematerial and water or equivalent liquid, drawing it into a syringe orsqueeze bottle, or the like, and extruding it to form designs,structures, simulated objects in nature, etc., an endless variety offorms of any desired size may be produced. By extruding the slurry ontoany suitable, absorbent, porous or capillary surface, most of the liquidin the extruded or dispensed paste or slurry is drawn away as fast asthe material is deposited, having the sand in semidry, semi-wetcondition, so that it builds up interesting structures as odd, grotesqueor artistic as the operator may desire. Deformable supplementalstructure supporting elements such as wires are preferably included.Natural sand surfaces in or along bodies of water and other places maybe used. Special bases of sand, or other earthly materials, or offibrous materials, e.g. paper, having suitable capillary properties, maybe used to receive the deposits of the slurried material and remove theliquid therefrom by rapid absorption. While natural or colored sand is apreferred building or ornamenting material, other particulate materials,preferably insoluble in the liquid used, e.g. water, including wettableorganic or inorganic particles may be used.

See

Preferred embodiment According to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, an aqueous slurry or paste is made up of fine grainedinsoluble particles, preferably a colored sand, or analogous particulatematerial, capable of being wet to a fair degree and suspended in waterwith a semistability against immediate separation by gravity. A verycoarse sand which settles quickly to the bottom of a water menstruum isnot suitable, nor is a fine clay or silt which may remain suspended fora long time. Stability of such insoluble particulate materials islargely a function of their particle size. Particles which are partiallyor completely soluble, such as fine salt, farinaceous materials, sugars,and the like sometimes can be used. Inorganic and completely insolubleparticulate materials are usually preferred because they do not vary asmuch in viscosity of suspension and do not produce solutions which willpenetrate and eventually clog absorbent surfaces. Children playing withsuch suspensions in a home, for example, cannot cause as much damage byspilling simple sand slurries as if the slurries contained sugars,starches, etc.

Particle sizes for the suspended materials are not critical as long asthe suspensions are semi-stable; that is, the solids should be rapidlyseparable as the liquid is drawn away. The liquid itself must be rapidlywithdrawable by capillary action of the supporting base. This will befurther explained below.

According to the present invention it is not necessary to use expensivespecial supporting bases. Bases of tightly coiled kraft paper, papertoweling, and the like, or any analogous fibrous materials having goodcapillary action and wettability to draw off the liquid rapidly, arevery satisfactory. A mass of loose or even of packed and fairly finesand, a natural sand deposit which is not too wet, forms a satisfactorybase with the desired type of capillarity. Of course a sand base toohighly saturated with water or of particles too coarse may not withdrawthe liquid from the suspension fast enough to form the desired deposits.Also, if there is too much fine clay or silt present, the requisitecapillarity or capillary effect will not be obtained.

In general, the qualities required are:

(1) The particulate material must be suspendable mo- 'mentarily in aliquid, preferably in water, but it should not form such a stablesuspension that the liquid cannot be rapidly (i.e. at least half thewater in one or two seconds) withdrawn from the deposited paste orslurry. In general, this requires average particle sizes between about0.001 and 0.02 inch, preferably not larger than 0.01.

(2) The absorbent base must have sufficient porosity or capillarity andalso sufiicient liquid absorbing capacity to take up the Water from thedeposited material, as indicated above.

The present invention thus makes it possible, if desired, to use insteadof a solid specially prepared base, among others, an ordinary sand baseon which to build the structure. However, a solid base of compactedorganic or inorganic particulate, fibrous or other material may be usedif desired.

According to one aspect of the present invention a mass of loose sand islaid out, either flat or contoured as desired, and thereupondecorations, designs or structures of various ornamental or functionaltypes and shapes are built, as described hereinafter. This isaccomplished by the simple extrusion onto the base of a suspension orslurry of fine sand or equivalent materials named above. The extrudedsand may be nncolored, or of a single color, or very desirably ofseveral different colors. The colors,

if color is used, may be pastel, or bright, and/or fluorescent. Thedesign or structure formed by controlled extrusion of a thin stream ofthe suspend-ed material which quickly sets up on the supporting base.The principle involved is that capillary attraction in the porous basewill draw the liquid out of the applied slurry rapidly enough for thesuspended particles of the slurry to set up firmly and quickly so thatthe design dries out to a substantial extent, though not entirely, anddoes not melt down or run. This base may be a sand box, sand pile,beach, or other structure of porous character as recited above. In amanner somewhat analogous to the decorating of pastries, the extrudedcolored materials may be applied to the base to form all sorts offanciful designs, either thin surface colorings or in 3-dimensionalstructures. Unlike pastry decorations, however, the applied materialrapidly loses its plasticity, a major part of the liquid being removedby capillary action within a second or two of time, or less. The gamedoes not require any particular skill and is highly entertaining to thevery young and very unskilled, but it can be used, also, by accomplishedartists, if desired. While referred to as a game, for convenience, thesystem has wide application for educational and instructional purposes.It furnishes an effective means for modeling landscapes or otherconstruction projects, and the like. It is highly suitable for makingvisual aids and for physical representations, demonstration of proposedprojects, etc.

The invention also includes further and specific auxiliary features,such as means for separating or parting colored sand from the base onwhich the decoration or structure is built or formed. Such a means mayinclude a perforated member, or a foraminate plate or sheet element ofsuitable material and mechanical characteristics. This element may beemployed for supporting the design or structure on the sand base. It isdesigned to allow capillary attraction to act through its perforationsor foraminations or to operate through the element itself, if the latteris porous or has good capillary properties to draw most liquid out ofthe slurry and thus set up the structure. Use of such a foraminate orporous parting layer permits the whole decoration or design to be pickedup bodily and removed from the sand base, thus avoiding undue mixing ofthe applied colored sand with the base material.

While reference has been made to sand in the base and in the slurry, andthis is commonly the preferred material for the slurry especially, itwill be understood that other loose or compact finely dividedparticulate material of suitable mechanical, capillary, and surfaceactive properties may be used. Some grades of sawdust, for example, canbe used in lieu of or mixed with the sand, either in base or slurry. Thegranular or particulate material so used should be quite finely dividedto give fine capillary channels and should be capable of being wettedreadily by the liquid which is used to form the slurry or suspension.

A particularly suitable base quite different from the inorganicparticulate bases mentioned above is a block or coil of fiber made up oftightly wound or coiled kraft paper, paper toweling or the like. Wovenor unwoven textile materials which are wettable may be similarly formedinto suitable bases.

Another optional but highly desirable feature is the use ofsupplementary supports of sticks or readily deformable wire orequivalent stock to give a backbone or structural reinforcement tostructures which otherwise may not be self-supporting. This will beexplained below in greater detail.

The preferred liquid for suspending the particulates is water, but otherliquids can be used if desired. It is sometimes desirable to add to thewater, or equivalent, a small amount of a viscosity improver, wettingagent capillary modifier and/ or bonding agent to control or modify thecapillary flow. A suitable capillary flow which removes the liquid ineffective fashion quite rapidly and sets up the applied material isessential. The particles applied should retain enough liquid or hinderto stabilize or strengthen the applied structures or decorations formedby extrusion onto the base enough that they will not collapse too soon.

The applied material, which may be quite ornamental, e.g. a coloredsand, or equivalent, may be of only a single color contrasting with thebase sand or other base material, or separate quantities may be providedin several different colors. Whatever particulate material is used isstirred up with the liquid, at single color being used at one time, tofor-m a slurry or suspension of rather thin paste consistency and havingmodest stability or semi-stability. This slurry is then drawn by suctionor otherwise is placed into a suitable syringe, dispenser, or extrudingdevice, such as a squeeze bottle, an eye dropper, or a syringe orequivalent dispensing device. For use on sand bases, e.g. along beaches,etc. a larger dispenser or squeezer is particularly preferred. In amanner quite analoguous to decorating pastry or pottery, the material isextruded onto the base. Desirably, as applied to most bases, it is notviscous to a substantial degree but is merely a liquid fairly wellloaded with suspended particles. Reliance is had almost entirely onrapid capillary action to draw the liquid quite quickly out of theextruded or dispensed material so that the solids therein will set upand assume the desired form quickly. Enough liquid stays with the solidsto preferably hold the particles together to a reasonable degree.Because of this characteristic the applied design or product, either anoriginal or copied design, drawings, structural formations, copy of amodel, building or any other two or three dimensional object may be maderapidly. By extruding drop-wise or continuously a thin stream of slurry,designs build up quickly, artistically by those who are skilled, orcrudely by others. The unskilled can quickly learn how to make pleasingor highly amusing if not artistic diagrams, structures, reproduction ofnatural and man-made objects, etc. These may be artistic or crude,imaginative, bizarre, ugly or fantastic, affording amusement as well assatisfaction to the user. The invention is particularly useful to helpdevelop manual skills in children.

The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the drawingsin which FIGURE 1 shows a simple arrangement, in plan, of the variouscomponents and elements which make up the game in one of its preferredand simpler forms.

FIGURE 2 shows a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a mold which can be used with the materials of FIGURES 1and 2 for further designs.

, FIGURE 4 shows a perforate or foraminate parting sheet bearingpreprinted designs.

FIGURE 5 shows a mold for use in forming more complex structures, usingthe capillary active base material to facilitate rapid setting up of thefiller.

FIGURE 6 shows a modification wherein the absorbent base is made up oftightly coiled paper or equivalent.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along theline 77 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 shows a perspective view of the game.

FIGURE 9 shows a modification using a wire frame work for stabilizingthe art structure.

FIGURE 10 is .a perspective view of a large scale dispenser modificationusing a wire or analogous framework or a sand base, with an insetillustration of a figure or character produced by this method.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, one form of the game structure,for convenient use indoors, for example, is shOWn in FIGURES 1 and 2. Itpreferably com-' prises a multi-cell tray 11 which may be made ofappropriate material such as metal, coated fiber, or plastic in extrudedor molded form. The tray itself is desirably waterproof or substantiallyso. The tray can be made of waxed or enameled paper or of thin metal, ifdesired, but moldable or extrudable synthetic resins are usuallypreferred for several reasons. The tray 11, as shown, comprises arelatively large compartment 13, .adapted to be filled with an absorbentbase material of high capillary activity, shown here as a fine grainedsand, Without other filler. Some other filler can be tolerated, butpreferably a clean crystallinesand of fine mesh of the order of 0.02inch to 0.001 inch particle size, or sand passing a sieve of about 25 to150 wires per inch, is used. It is not desired, however, to limit theparticle size of the sand since its capillary activity and capacity tohold water are more important, as will presently be explained. Also,other particulate materials which are readily wetted and have goodcapillary properties can be used, e.g. some grades of sawdust or rockdust, crushed ceramics, brick, refractories, abrasives, etc. of naturalor synthetic origin.

A plurality of other compartments are indicated at 15, 17, 18 and 19,respectively. These each are suitable for holding relatively smalleramounts of colored sand or equivalent. A colored sand, or alternativematerials already mentioned, are very durable materials for use with theinvention, especially in small scale embodiments for indoor use. Wherecolored sand is used, for example, it is preferably of more or less thesame particle size and capillary properties, wetting characteristics,etc., as the above described absorbent base sand in compartment 13. Thiscolored sand, however, is preferably supplied in several separatecontainers or compartments in diiferent colors. Thus the sand in tray 13might be a red or pink, that in compartment 17 may be green or yellow,etc., and that in compartment 19 may be blue, purple, etc. Various waysare known, especially by firms supplying sand and gravel for ornamentalaquaria, etc. for coloring the sand satisfactorily. The coloring shouldnot be hydrophobic in nature, at least after it has dried out, butshould be one that is readily wettable by water, assuming that water isto be used as the slurry or sand suspending liquid. The colors may bepastel, bright, or mixed, as preferred, and may include fiuorescents ifdesired. A very satisfactory method of coloring sand and analogousparticles employs self-hardening enamels or inorganic pigments suspendedin suitable carriers or binders. The coloring processes and materialsused for coloring form no part of the present invention, being wellknown in the art. As long as the sand or other particles which are to beslurried and dispensed in liquid or semi-liquid form can be readilywetted by the liquid suspending medium, this is all that is required.

An extruding device, e.g. a syringe, dropper or dispenser, indicated at21, is employed for sucking up a slurry of the colored sand andextruding or dispensing it as a thin stream, or in droplets, at acontrollable rate. The dispenser is aimed and squeezed to form thepattern, design, decoration or structure which is to be made on thesurface of the absorbent base mass in compartment 13. Dispenser 21, inthis case, fits in a compartment 22 in tray 11, when not in use. Thisdispenser may be conveniently a plastic squeeze bottle of a type widelyused for dispensing medicines and other materials in small quantities,or it can be a more conventional dropper, syringe, pump or other knowntype of dispensing device. The precise nature or design of thisdispenser device 21 is not important as long as it can be used to drawin a quantity of the slurried sand or other particles from a stirred-upsupply thereof, e.g. as contained in a suitable receptacle such ascompartment 31. The user then extrudes or drips the slurry at acontrollable rate in a thin stream or in discontinuous incrementssuitable for forming the desired decoration or design. For fine linedesigns, the dispenser should have a thin nozzle or outlet but theslurry should flow without excessive separation of liquid from the solidparticles. With a little practice the rate and continuity ordiscontinuity of dispensing can be controlled so that the capillaryaction in the supporting base draws out the liquid at about the samerate that the design is deposited thereon.

As an additional feature, overlying the absorbent base mass i.e. thesand in tray 13, there is optionally provided a foraminous membrane 27,which either is perforated extensively as indicated at 28, or is ofhighly porous or capillary nature. This membrane is selected orperforated so as to permit the sand or analogous material in theabsorbent mass below to make capillary contact through the membrane withthe decorative material, e.g. colored sand which is extruded on top ofit. It will be understood that the purpose of the numerous perforations,forminations or other capillary connections in the partition layer is tofacilitate the capillary withdrawal at a rapid rate from the decorativematerial of the suspending liquid at a rapid rate. The liquid should beremoved rapidly enough that the suspended particles quickly form a solidstructure. By this procedure the applied particle, e.g. of decorativematerial, will partially dry very quickly. The desired design orstructure can be built up rapidly by repeated application in multiplelayers to form structures of substantial height and complexity.

The capillary action should be such in any case that the major quantityof moisture in the slurry is withdrawn almost immediately, i.e. withinone or two seconds or less, but the residual moisture content should beenough to continue to bind the sand at least for a few minutes and thusprevent crumbling. The design preferably remains slightly damp for awhile, affording just enough cohesion between the sand granules tomaintain the desired structure. Because of this property of cohesion thedecoration may be built up to substantial height if desired, as shown inelement 29, FIGURE 2. Structures in three dimensions such as animals,buildings, fortifications, fences, flowers, etc. may be delineated andbe built up to substantial height, as much as several inches in somecases. With a little practice one can form substantial wall structuresand provide them with openings, e.g. as doors and windows in simulatedbuildings, extruding the sand slurry from the dispenser in such a way asto gradually build and bridge over the necessary archways or othersupports to leave openings.

The perforated or foraminous parting layer 27, described above, may bethin and flexible or it may be a relatively stifi sheet. It is notalways essential. The form shown in FIGURE 1 has numerous and closelyspaced perforation 2 8. It may be made of any suitable material, such asa sheet of plastic, either thin and flexible or with some modestrigidity, or a sheet of Waxed paper or enameled paper, enameledcardboard, waxed cardboard, or a sheet or plate of metal such asaluminum, etc. A perforated sheet of enameled paper has been found to'bevery satisfactory. However, a flexible cellulose tissue sheet whichretains good wet strength but may be very thin, flexible, and highlyporous, can be used. One good purpose for the parting sheet or device 27is to make it possible to build up a design of considerable complexity,using various colors of sand, and then to remove the whole design fromthe surface of the base layer in compartment 13. The completed designcan be picked up after the user is through with it, and the respectivemasses of colored sand can be separated rather easily and each returnedto its respective receptacle 15, 17, 18 and 19. This is done, of course,when the applied decoration or structure is to be discarded, thusavoiding objectionable contamination of the base sand mass in tray 13.

It will be understood, of course, that as time goes on some of thecolored sand particles will tend to get mixed into the base sand to someextent. In time, the base sand may need to be discarded, but it canreadily be replaced with a small and inexpensive supply. A bag ofsimilar, plain absorbent sand may be included in the original gamepackage if desired.

In making up the materials for the game, so far as it has been describedabove, a package of the plain absorbent sand for the base in tray 13,weighing perhaps /2 lb. to 1 lb., or so, is provided. This is usually acheap,

uncolored sand of rather fine grain and reasonably uniform particlesize. Smaller packages of brightly colored sand are usually provided inthe tray. The number of such packages may be varied widely. While fourcompartments for colored sand are shown in the drawing, it will beunderstood that the number of colors used or provided for may be feweror much greater. The basic tray also contains the depression orreceptacle 31 for mixing the slurry to be dispensed. Some or all of thecompartments can be replaced or supplemented by separate containers, ifdesired.

In use, water or another liquid is placed in the receptacle 31 and asuitable small quantity of the colored sand is mixed into it, usually inamounts of l or 2 to several teaspoonsful. Larger quantities, of course,can be used. The sand and the water are simply stirred to form a thin,semi-stable slurry, or paste. Then the dispenser or squeezer 21 issqueezed to evacuate the air from it and is allowed by its own elastictendency to expand to draw in a quantity of slurry from the receptacle31. In this way the dispenser or squeezer becomes filled, or partlyfilled, with the sand slurry which resembles a thin homogenous coloredmud. It is then dispensed in a small stream, or dropwise as may bepreferred, to form the design. The user may move the nozzle along thedesired path while squeezing the extruder so as to prepare a continuousdesign, much like in writing or drawing, or he may move it back andforth to form plural layers over the same area. Thus one can build astructure of substantial height, extruding the sand slurry more or lesscontinuously. The moisture or liquid in the sand slurry, or most of it,is very rapidly absorbed by capillary action of the base sand in tray13. The application of the slurry of colored sand is coordinated withthe rate at which the capillary action draws out excess liquid. Theslurry thus hardens and sets up almost instantly, though still damp. Ifa separator element such as membrane 27 is employed, as is frequentlydesirable, the capillary action is essentially the same because the sandbelow establishes capillary contact with the wet sand slurry, either byits own porosity and capillary action or through the multiple openingsin the separating sheet 27.

It will be understood, of course, that the separator or parting layer 27need not be used at all, in many cases, but it is frequently desirablefor minimizing mixing of v colored sand into the base sand or where itmay be desired to remove the design bodily, for example, to bake it toform a ceramic article and the like.

A design or structure may be formed as extensive in size and complexityas may be desired. The elements of a single color preferably are appliedas the artist desires. Thereafter another batch of another color of sandis mixed up and the operation repeated. Several colors may be applied toa particular design, if desired, which may thus become attractive inmulticolor and can be very interesting and ornamental, depending on theskill of the user.

As indicated above, it may be desirable in some cases to incorporate inthe liquid a small amount of an agglutinant or binder aid such asmucilage, glue, syrup, sugar, sodium silicate, etc. or the like. Anymaterial which will help the sand particles adhere together to a modestdegree can be used. If used at all, such should be used sparingly toavoid gumming up the base material. It is usually not desirable to use alarge quantity of this material in the case of games prepared for indooruse by children because the purpose of the game ordinarily will be toform temporary artistic pictures, structures or designs which can bedestroyed and replaced at will. 01. course, the sand base can bediscarded and replaced inexpensively if greater use of binder in thecolored sand causes objectionable hardening or contamination.

Alternatively, molded designs can be prepared, even by those of verylimited skill. Referring to FIGURE 3, there is shown a shallow mold 51with a foraminate or perforate bottom 53.- This mold can be set on thebase,

e.g. the sand in compartment '13, and filled with a sand slurry ofselected color or colors, or of ceramic properties, etc. Capillaryaction through the foraminate bottom 53 to the base sand quickly drawsout most of the liquid, leaving a molded mass of moist material to makeup the design. This mold can then be lifted up and inverted onto anothersupport. The mold is then carefully removed, to leave a design or objectmolded in the moist sand or other particulate material. The latter cancontain a binder and can be baked or fired in a kiln to make ceramicobjects, if desired. A binder also may be applied after the mold isremoved from the absorbent base sand.

In FIGURE 4 there is shown a perforate or foraminous parting sheet 57having preprinted designs 59, 61, thereon. These are used to help theinexperienced user, particularly in forming outlines, designs,buildings, walls, etc., until he gets sufficient experience to make hisown original designs.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modification which makes the invention adaptableto sculpture and related fine arts. An outer mold 71, preferably havingtwo or more parts 73, 75, hinged together at 77 along a vertical axis,surrounds a core or inner model 79, of plaster, clay or the like. Themold 71 surrounds but does not contact the model, leaving a thin wallspace 81 between the mold and the model. The arrangement is such thatwhen the slurry is poured into the mold there is capillary connection tothe base sand 83 for the lower edge of this Wall space. The user thenpours sand slurry into the wall space 81; most of the liquid content israpidly removed by the capillary action of the base leaving a moist sandwall. By providing an agglutinant or binder in the sand slurry, thiswall member can be made self-supporting and on removal of the mold, itcan be fired or baked, etc. This procedure may be varied in many ways.The core may be made of sand from a slurry poured into a suitable coremold (not shown), having its suspending liquid drawn off by capillaryaction of the base sand 83.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, a modification of a package is shownin which sand for the base is replaced by a highly satisfactoryabsorbent porous base member of fibrous material. This fibrous capillarybase 101 can be made of various materials. As shown, it is a tightlycoiled roll of water absorbent paper having a central core 103 andhaving one or more of its outer layers 105 secured adhesively to preventunwinding. The adhesive used in the outer layers should be substantiallywater proof to prevent uncoiling. Such a roll may be formed by winding anarrow strip of paper of any suitable type, such as newsprint, toweling,crepe, kraft paper or any other paper that will absorb moisture rapidlyby capillary action, onto a central core or mandrel. Some adhesive maybe used intermittently or continuously if desired, but it should notdestroy the essential capillary action. The core 103 may be eitherhollow or solid, but is preferably hollow to accommodate a cup 107.Rolls or coils 101 may be made also by slicing or cutting off sectionsfrom a wider roll of prewound or precoiled paper. Instead of paper,other porous absorbent materials (e.g. cotton or jute fabrics) may beused, as long as they take up the water (or other liquid) rapidly bycapillary attraction. However, paper in coiled sections, preferablyabout /2 to 1 inch thick, is economical and very satisfactory for thepurpose.

The package -100 comprises a plurality of compartments 109 and 110 forcolored sand, a water container or basin 112 in which the sand and waterslurry may be mixed conveniently, a shallow compartment 113 whichcontains a measuring or mixing spoon 114, and a compartment 115containing a slurry dispenser 116. A group of slender annealed wires 117, which can readily be deformed without springing back, is included.

It will be understood that the absorbent coils of strip material 101,just described, will be used in lieu of the sand mass shown incompartment 13, FIGURES 1 and 2, or in place of the sand mass '83,FIGURE 5. The central core 103 is shown hollow to receive a smallmeasuring cup 107, used to obtain proper proportions of sand and waterfor the slurry. Ordinarily the hollow core 103 will not be covered orused when the design is being applied to the base 101.

In FIGURE 8, a typical use of the game is illustrated. The squeezebottle 116 is filled partially with a sand slurry mixed, for example, inbasin 112, FIG. 6, by combining suitable proportions of sand and waterand stirring them well. Proportions may vary somewhat with the finenessand quality of the sand used. Ordinarily about one part, e.g. one cupfulas measured with the little cup 107, FIG. 7, of water and one cup ofsand, i.e. equal parts by volume, is suitable but proportions can bechanged readily by adding more or less water to get a slurry of optimumflow and drying properties. The slurry is dispensed in droplets, or insmall squirts at first by squeezing the bottle 116. With a littlepractice, one can dispense the slurry almost continuously in a smallstream. The capillary action of the base takes up the water veryrapidly, leaving just enough to hold the sand together and build up thedesired design. By changing the color of the sand used, very attractivedesigns and decorations can be made. Thus the castle 120 and the trees121 can be built up of green sand, the draw bridge 122 and the road 123of red sand, etc.

Referring to FIGURE 9, a tall structure, e.g. the outline figure 125 ofa man, is formed in wire, using the soft deformable wires 117 mentionedabove. The wire legs 126, 127 have their lower ends 128, 129 pushed intothe supporting base 101 so that the figure will stand up. Arms 130, body131 and head 132 are skeletoned by the wire, or given a backbone so thata sand structure may be built up around them. Starting at the bottom theoperator dispenses the slurry from dispenser nozzle 133 in smallincrements 134 around each of the wires to build up a self-supportingstructure. This may be made as tall as desired, within the limitationsof wire stiffness and sand weight, etc. As described above, the highlyabsorbent capillary base material draws out most of the waterimmediately, leaving the sand in a stable, moist but solid condition.The structure will remain intact, even after it is quite fully dried,but of course it will readily crumble upon being shaken or flexed to anysubstantial extent.

Referring now to FIGURE a larger scale application of the game, i.e. ofits most important elements is shown. This comprises a base mass of sand201 which may be a natural sand mass, e.g. along the sea shore, orenclosed in a sand box frame of any suitable type. The frame, of course,is not shown and is not indispensable. A container, not shown but likecompartment 112, FIGURE 6, should be provided for preparing and holdinga slurry of fine sand and water. Several kinds or colors of sand may beused, if desired. A large squeeze type dispenser, called for conveniencea super-sand squeezer, is shown at 207. The latter comprises a largeplastic collapsible bulb or receptacle portion 209 having a mouthportion 210, preferably threaded, to which is removably secured atapered nozzle 211. The tip of this nozzle has a fairly small opening,to 7 inch in diameter being a convenient range.

In use, one takes the dispenser 207, removes the nozzle 211 byunscrewing it, and fills the bulb portion 209 with the premixed sandslurry, e.g. from the container already mentioned. Then the nozzle isreplaced and the user squeezes the bulb portion 209 to extrude theslurry of sand either in increments or in a relatively thin andpreferably more or less continuous stream. As fast as the extrudedslurry contacts the sand base 201, or contacts other sand alreadycontacting the base, the liquid, or some 80 to 90% or so of it, isquickly drawn oil? by capillary action. The sand is still moist enough,however, that built up structures are formed.

By using a wire skeleton 217 of an animal, for example, supported bypushing leg portions 218, 219 into the sand base, an animal character220 in three dimensions is formed. It may be built in increments 221,222, as shown or it will be more streamlined if built up by continuousdeposit of sand. The operation is on a larger scale than shown in FIGURE9, but generally similar to those previously described in connectionwith FIGURE 9 and also with FIGURES l to 8. Obviously the sand appliedwith the Super sand squeezer may be of various colors, etc., as in thecase of the examples previously described. Not all parts of the figureneed be supported by wire. For example, the ears 225 do not require awire skeleton.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that various amusing,entertaining, instructive or artistic designs, figures, models, etc.,may be made by utilizing the capillary action of fine sand or otherabsorbent materials to remove surplus and control residual liquidcontent of the deposited materials. Various colors of depositedmaterials may be used side by side or superimposed, or criss crossed,etc., to make an unlimited variety of designs and structures. Thecompleted designs may be allowed to stand or may be broken down andreplaced soon. They may be sprayed or impregnated before, during orafter formation with a suitable coating or binder material to make themmore stable. In appropriate cases, they may be hardened, baked, fired,etc., to make permanent objects of artistic or utilitarian value.

In most cases the design or structure probably will be left standingonly briefly. Where colored sands are used and are not to be wasted, thedesigns or applied structures may be broken down with some care and thevarious sands retrieved and returned to their respective containers,e.g. 109 and 110, FIGURE 6. By use of the partition layer 27, as inFIGURE 4, which can be also be used in connection with the sand base ofFIGURE 10, this can be facilitated. By colored sand, it is intended toinclude use of any natural sands of distinctive shades or colors whichcontrast with that of the base material.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy kit which comprises in combination, a base consisting of aporous mass of highly capillary material selected from the group whichconsists of sand and fibrous material having capacity for absorbingliquid, a mass of fine granular material having an appearancecontrasting with said base material, compartment means holding said basematerial and said granular material, means for mixing said granularmaterial with a liquid to form a slurry and means for dispensing acontrolled thin stream of said slurry onto said base to form a designthereon.

2. A toy kit according to claim 1 wherein the base material is a porousfibrous material.

3. A toy kit according to claim 1 wherein the base material is a mass offine sand.

4. A toy kit according to claim 1 wherein the fine granular material isa distinctively colored fine sand.

5. A toy kit according to claim 1 wherein plural compartments areprovided for fine granular material of different appearances.

6. A toy kit according to claim 1 which includes de formable skeletonmeans for supporting the dispensed slurry.

7. A toy kit according to claim 1 which includes a partition layerafi'ording capillary communication between the applied granular materialand the absorbent base material while substantially separatingphysically said applied granular material from said base material.

8. A toy kit according to claim 1 wherein the means for dispensingcomprises an elastic squeeze dispenser.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,354 12/1916 Noyes 46-1LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner.

